Feeding

[the_cowgirl_in_me]

My steer is about 580 right now. How much grain should i be feeding? A formula i found online said about 18lbs a day. Our fair is in April. Also how much hay?  ???

 

[Jill]

You will have to push the heck out of him to make an April fair at that weight, feed him all he will eat.

 

[renegade]

Thats about the weight our end of July steers are right now

 

[lowann]

Free choice grass hay. All he wants. Carefull about pushing too much grain. We have had them completely stop eating grain when we push it too hard. Slow, and steady.

 

[drew06]

i agree push them too hard and they could go off feed. we had that problem last year. added calf manna as top dress and fed smaller amounts more times per day. all depends on your ration and your steer. PLENTY OF FRESH CLEAN WATER. that will help appetite also. good luck

 

[lowann]

We are firm believers in Calf Manna too. It just gives them "bloom". Expensive, but well worth it. We start our show calves on it two months before our county club calf sale. We always get plenty of compliments on how good our calves look. Lot's of washing/rinsing/blowing/fans. Lots of work!! The end result is worth it.
I totally agree with drewo6 all the fresh clean water they will drink. Very important.

 

[Lazy G]

When was the calf born?

 

[Chris Bingham]

I had a show steer that wouldnt gain wieght and we put him on fast fat (moormans feed), crimped corn (not whole), and a growth implant. He gained alot of wieght in a 3 to 4 month time frame.

 

[BCCC]

i wouldn't put him a on free choice hay. I would give him a couple flakes a day of either grass hay or cane hay. Also slowly work your way up to about 3%-3.5% of his body weight.  Feed him at least 3 times a day. Keep him as cool as possible with free choice water. Last couple months I would implant him with relevor or ralgro. Also make sure your ration doesnt get to hot other wise he wil go off feed. every so often give him some Probios, and keep him wormed and healthy

 

[simtal]

honestly, you shouldn't have to push a steer at that weight for an april target that hard. If he eats good and you feed him enough, and right, he should be about there.  You look at 180 days to on feed to and needing to gain 700 pounds.  700/180 is 3.88.  Now that sounds high for ADG but it can be done.  Try your best, its all you can do. Try to limit his hay to a flake or two a day.

 

[the_cowgirl_in_me]

Hes getting a flake of grass hay morning and night, about 17lbs of feed a day, and out in the pasture for 3 hours. I think he was born in May or June but im not too sure.